Golf bag support



Oct. 23, 1934. A, Z K 1,978,242

GOLF BAG SUPPORT Filed Aug. 5, 1951 Attorney Patented Get. 23, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 GOLF BAG SUPPORT Arthur A. Zack, Seattle, Wash.

Application August 3, 1931, Serial No. 554,885 Claims. (01. 150-15) My present invention relates to an improved golf bag support which will enable a golfer to erect his golf bag in an upright position while selecting a club and making his play, rather than allowing the bag to fall on the ground with the consequent necessity of stooping to pick it up. An object of the invention is the provision of a supporting device which may be readily attached to the conventional type of bag and which is provided with a pointed end portion adapted to be inserted in the ground to support the bag in an upright position. A further object in a device of the character herein described is the provision of attaching clamps which are adjustable longitudinally of the supporting member to accommodate ibags of different heights and are also adjustable transversely of the supporting member to securely grip the bag between the supporting member and the jaws of the clamps, as the thickness of golf bags at the ends may vary consid- 'erably according to the construction of the bag. A further object is the provision of attaching clamps .of such character that a golf bag is secured at both ends to the supporting member and securely held in fully extended position. This is an important feature of the invention since many bags, especially those of fabric construction; are inclined to sag and would do so unless securely held to the supporting member at both top and bottom of the bag. A further object is the provision of a handle or hand grip formed as an integral part of the supporting member near the top thereof, which the player may utilize to withdraw the pointed end portion of the supporting member from the ground and by which the bag may be carried while in use on the golf course rather than using the customary shoulder strap. A further object is the provision of a lug incorporated in the supporting member as an integral part thereof upon whichthe player may place his foot to force the pointed end of the supporting member into the ground whenit is desired to stand thebag in an upright position. A further object is the provision of a portion of the supporting member which is designed to be forced into the ground and which vportion is set at a tangent to the remainder of the supporting member for the following reason, viz; that a player in placing his foot upon the foot lug to force the pointed end of the supporting member into the ground exerts such pressure in a plane tangent to the perpendicular rather than in an absolutely vertical plane.

A final object is the provision of means on the Q supporting member to prevent the securing clamps being removed therefrom or accidentally lost by slipping off from the device when detached from a golf bag.

The invention thus resides in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts as will hereinafter be more fully set forth and described.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiinent of my invention wherein the parts are combined and arranged according to the best mode I have thus far devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention.

Figure I is a view'in elevation and partly in section showing the application of my device for supporting a golf bag, including the manner in which it is attached to the bag and illustrating a portion of the supporting rod inserted in the ground to support the bag in an upright position. Figure 'II is a sectional view of the upper clamping device adapted to engage the top of a golf bag and showing a fragment of the bag secured between the clamp and the supporting rod. Figure III is a sectional view of the lower clamping device and a fragment of the lower end of a golf bag showing the manner in which the clamp engages the bag at this point. Figure IV is a View as at line 4-4 of Fig. III showing the manner in which the foot lug is formed in the supporting rod of the device.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates a golf bag of the usual type having a base plate 2 within the lower endof the bag and the base plate is fashioned with aflange 3 by which it is secured to the bag. This construction forms a flange at the bottom of the bag which may be engaged by a suitable clamping device. The top of the bag is usually formed with a reinforced annular lip as l to maintain a clear opening for the top of the bag.

In the preferred form of my invention I utilize a a suitable rod 5 which is slightly longer than a golf bag and provide this rod with a cap 6 at its upper end and a point 7 at its lower end in order that it may be easily inserted in the ground. The rod is fitted with an upper clamp member v8 and a lower clamp member 9 which are designed to engage the upper and lower ends respectively of a golf bag. The clamps are identical in shape and may be used at either end of the supporting rod, the lower clamp being inverted in position from that of the upper clamp. The clamps 8 and 9 areprovided with elongated openings 10 and 11 to receive the rod 5 and this construction permits the clamps to be moved longitudinally and like" wisetransverselyof the rod 5. Each of the clamps 8 and 9 is fashioned with a single jaw, 12 and 13 respectively, which are adapted to engage over the upper lip 4 and the lower flange 3 of the bag. The lip 4 and the flange 3 of the bag are thus held between the respective jaws l2 and 13 of the clamps and the supporting rod 5, the rod forming oneiside'of the clamp. The clamps 8 and 9 are provided with wing screws 14 and 15 which are threadably mounted in the clamps and are adapted to bear against the rod 5 oppositely from its the jaws 12 and 13 of the respective clamps. Since the clamps 8 and 9 are provided with elongated openings which permit transverse movement of the clamps with respect to the rod 5 it will be apparent that when the screws 14 and 15 are tightened the jaws of the clamps will be drawn towards the rod 5 thereby securely gripping the lip 4 and flange 3 between the rod 5 and the clamp jaws.

It will be apparent that the clamps serve a twofold purpose since they are adjustable longitudinally with respect to the rod to accommodate golf bags of different heights and are also adjustable transversely with the rod to engage the ends of bags which may vary in thickness. The upper and lower ends of the bag are thus held firmly between the rod 5 and the clamp jaws 12 and 13, which is an important feature of the invention since many bags of fabric construction are inclined to sag and would do so unless securely fastened to the supporting rod.

To support the bag in an upright position the supporting rod 5 is fashioned with a portion of suitable length at its bottom end which is set in a plane tangent to the remainder of the rod. This portion, which is situated immediately below the lower clamp member, may be approximately four to six inches in length and terminates in a pointed end 7, previously referred to, and is adapted to be inserted or forced into the ground. As a means of accomplishing this purpose I fashion the rod with a foot lug 16, slightly above the lower clamp, the lug being fashioned by bending the rod 5 outwardly at right angles, then doubling the rod back and again bending the rod downwardly in a plane parallel to the major portion of the rod. The result is a projection of approximately U-shape, as shown in Fig. IV, extending transversely to one side of the rod and upon which the player may place his foot to force the tangent portion of the rod with its pointed end 7 into the ground. The lower end of the rod 5 intended to be set in the ground is fixed at a tangent for the reason that a player in placing his foot on the lug 16 to force the rod into the ground exerts the pressure in a plane downwardly and outwardly and the tangent portion of the rod is intended to be in a plane parallel, or nearly so, to the plane of force exerted by the players foot.

As a means for withdrawing the lower end of the rod from the ground I provide the rod 5 with a handle 1'7 which is formed in the rod at a point about one-fourth down from the top end, as shown in Figure I. The handle is formed by an angularly bent portion of the rod 5 which may be wrapped with leather to form a grip similar to the handles of golf clubs. The handle may be utilized in carrying the golf bag about the course rather than using the usual shoulder strap for the purpose.

It will be seen that I have provided a device which may be readily attached to the ordinary golf bag and when not in use may be detached and placed inside of the bag along with the clubs. The upper clamp 8 can not be withdrawn from the rod 5 as it is slidably mounted on the rod between the handle 1'7 and the top cap 6 which is of sufficient size to prevent removal of the clamp. The lower clamp 9 is situated immediately below the foot lug 16 and is prevented from falling off the rod by an annular shoulder 18 formed on the rod slightly below the lower clamp.

It is believed that the foregoing description is sufficiently clear to enable anyone familiar with golfing to understand the manner of applying the device to a golf bag and its consequent purpose and use.

It will be apparent that modifications in the manner of constructing the device may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a supporting rod having a portion of one end set at a tangent and terminating in a pointed end,

a projecting step integral with the rod near the lower end thereof and extending transversely to one side of the axis thereof upon which the foot may be placed to urge the pointed end into the ground and means at the upper and lower ends of the rod adapted to clamp the ends of a bag securely to the rod.

2. In a device of the character described, a supporting rod having a pointed end, a pair of clamp members having slotted openings to receive the rod and each clamp being fashioned with a single jaw disposed in a plane parallel to the rod, screws mounted in the clamps and adapted to bear against the rod for the purpose of urging the clamp jaws toward said rod.

3. In a device of the character described, a supporting rod having a cap at the top end and having a portion of the lower end set at a tangent and terminating in a pointed end, a clamp at th upper end of the rod having a slotted opening therein to receive the rod and to permit adjustment of the clamp transversely of the rod, said clamp being formed with a jaw disposed in a plane parallel to the rod for the purpose of engaging the end of a bag between said jaw and said rod, a screw threadably mounted in the clamp and adapted to bear against the rod for the purpose of urging the clamp jaw toward said rod, a similar clamp at the lower end of the supporting rod adapted to clamp the lower end of a bag securely to the rod, an annular shoulder on the rod below said lower clamp, a handle in the rod near the top thereof formed by an angularly bent portion of the rod and disposed to one side of the axis of the rod, a step formed in the rod near the lower end thereof by an outwardly bent portion of the rod and extending transversely to one side of the axis of said rod upon which the foot may be placed to force the pointed end of the supporting rod into the ground.

4. In a device of the character described, a supporting'rod having a pointed end adapted to be inserted in the ground, a pair of clamp members slidably mounted on said rod and being moveable transversely with respect to said rod, and means carried by said clamp members adapted to urge said clamp members toward said rod so as to grip the ends of a bag between said clamp members and said rod.

5. In a device of the character described, a supporting rod having a pointed end, clamp members slidably mounted on said rod and being adjustable transversely of said rod, said clamp members having jaws adapted to engage over the ends of a bag, and means carried by said clamp members adapted to urge the said clamp jaws toward said rod and grip the ends of a bag between said jaws and said rod.

ARTHUR A. ZACK. 

